What to do?  Do I buy a China-made inflatable? The price is right… but Mattel and others sure are having a dickens of a time with recalls because of unsafe products that contain lead.  We have all heard the news reports about tainted Chinese products. Could your China-built inflatable contain lead?  How about quality and safety?  With so many knock-offs, could you be sued for buying one?

This is a very real problem and one that Cutting Edge Creations, Inc. (CEC), has been bringing to the attention to the inflatable industry for the past few years.  Who is making your inflatable?  What materials are they using? How durable is the material? Is it a stolen design (copyright)?

Do you know what’s in your China-built inflatable? Does your inflatable supplier use vinyl (PVC) that contains any lead or other dangerous heavy metals? These may include Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Mercury or even some of the other dangerous chemicals such as Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE). Take the time to find out. Why?

The reason for the caution is huge!  Think about it: inflatables are primarily used for children; children touch the vinyl and children are known to put their hands in their mouths.  Thus, if the vinyl contains any of the properties listed above, especially as the vinyl ages, these materials can and will enter into the child’s blood stream with results that can be terrible.  Should you care?  I should hope so, not just from a liability standpoint – which can be a huge problem – but because you should care about kids.  Remember, these chemicals can rob a child from a normal life.  The list of potential health hazards stretch from loss of brain cells to several forms of cancer.


However, just because Mattel and others have had problems with heavy metals in their products doesn’t mean that everything from China is bad.  The Chinese can build great products if they are required.  But too many of the inflatable companies are so interested in selling products that cutting corners in the raw materials is an option taken, time and time again.  In addition, a lot of people are importing products from China without knowing just what is in the vinyl.  If you question these China manufacturers they will tell you what you want to hear and may even supply you with a false testimony as to the content of the material.  Wow!  This means that it is up to a reputable U.S. manufacturer to make sure that the vinyl is safe and that it really doesn’t have these dangerous properties.


The strength of the material is also very important.  Some large inflatable companies have chosen to reduce the thickness of the vinyl from 18-oz to 15-oz, while telling you that it is just as good - using 20% less vinyl coating and telling you that everything is okay! Anyone that cuts their production costs to save himself money and then claims that they did this for you – and that it’s just as good as 18-oz – should be selling used cars.  Yes, it is true that the fabric insert is the bulk of the strength of the vinyl; however, the air-tightness over time is also a very important feature of 18-oz material that is left out of the 15-oz version, since the back of the material lacks a proper coating of vinyl for longevity.  This may work during the warranty period… but watch-out! Your inflatable may not hold air like it would if it was constructed out of the proven 18-oz material down the road.


Cutting Edge Creations, Inc. makes sure that what you get is both durable and safe.  Our PVC vinyl is quite different than what you would get at Ninja Jump, e-Inflatables, Inflatable Depot, or others.  How so?  CEC has had their vinyl tested by outside testing firms for the dangerous properties listed above.  In addition, CEC is the only major inflatable company using “weft” inserted PVC.  While just about everyone uses PVC with a “woven” fabric insert, CEC requires their materials to have a weft insert for superior tear strength.  Do you want to test it?  Call your CEC sales person and ask for a small sample and a sample what the other guys use – you will see for yourself that the CEC “weft” inserted 18-oz material is vastly superior. It is almost impossible to tear.  

Even if you get past all of this, is the design that you are thinking of buying an original design or is it someone else’s… with potential for copyright infringement?  Sometimes the cheap price can blind you from seeing what can be a huge expense – maybe even a crippling blow – from litigation.  According to copyright law, each and every unit that is purchased that is substantially similar to a registered copyrighted design can cost you up to $150,000.00.  If you purchased a couple units, the chance of these fines going higher is almost certain (treble damages).  


Here’s the deal: the Chinese company didn’t spend any money creating a design – they just reversed engineered it, marketed it on Google’s sponsored links, and sold you a knocked-off product.  The US manufacturer that actually owns the copyright is not going after the Chinese, but they will go after YOU.  Legally you can own a knock-off… but you can’t display it – which certainly goes against why you may have purchased it in the first place.  Larger companies don’t usually go after the consumers for copyright infringement but small manufacturers often do.  The legal expense alone – just to even get to court – can easily reach $75,000.00.  As you may be aware, CEC spends a lot of money on design and creation of some of the most sought-after inflatable products, and the legal protection of these designs.  


Is it safe to buy products made in China?  I wish I could say yes, but it all comes down to knowing that the company you buy from is reputable, that they have made sure of the more important things on their raw materials, and have proven their reliability over the course of many years. Beware of those passing along cheap prices – you could be getting something quite dangerous.  Rest assured CEC’s vinyl is safe from the potentially dangerous heavy metals that have forced unprecedented recalls in the amusement and toy industry.  In addition, the durability of our materials and the original designs are second to none.  Don’t gamble with safety! Make the smart choice.